The Ansonia Blog

Browse our recent updates and blog posts.

“Lovely”: Vosne-Romanée at Its Most Elegant

We’re a two-generation business, so we have been particularly interested to watch the generations change at our French producers over the years. France pushes its seniors into retirement about five years earlier than does the US, but otherwise it’s much as it is here – smoother or bumpier depending on history and personalities. Michel Gros took the reins at his family’s famous domaine as a very young man after his father Jean suffered a stroke, so he had 45 years to acquire vines and refine his techniques.

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Sancerre’s neighbor. Your next house white.

Everyone knows Sancerre, the popular, easy-to-pronounce, well-priced white Loire wine. But fewer people know its less famous neighbor across the river: Pouilly-Fumé. Same grape, similar soils, slightly harder to pronounce, but even better pricing. Our producer here is Frederic Michot, a friendly, energetic winemaker who crafts refreshing, user-friendly, flat out delicious Sauvignon Blanc.

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Tasting in the Clerget cellar beside barrels, with a bottle of Clerget Bourgogne Rouge.

A Bourgogne Rouge with Vosne roots

Justine Clerget has shown herself to be a remarkable talent in the last few years, and this tiny gem of domaine in Vougeot is still a largely undiscovered source. Since her return to the domaine a few years ago, she has introduced organic viticulture, refined extraction, and has leaned into stem use. The resulting wines are classy and modern, but with an old school Burgundian soul. They also compare extremely well on price with their neighbors.

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Mature Bordeaux for Sweater Weather. $45

Much of the world’s Merlot is undistinguished. Its default expression is a soft, rounded wine lacking tannin, acidity, and character. “Global” merlot is smooth and easy, but neither distinctive nor particularly interesting. But on Bordeaux’s right bank Merlot thrives as an essential component to the region’s most iconic wines. The exact combination of limestone and gravel soils produce a version of the grape with balance, definition, and depth.

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Fine-Grained, “Engaging” Premier Cru Red Burgundy. $45

The 2023 red Burgundies are still quite young, but they’ve already begun to reveal themselves as a tremendous vintage. From a growing season full of extreme heat and drought but with perfectly timed rains, the best wines are perfectly balanced – with modest alcohol, excellent density, and vibrant textures. We heard more than a few winemakers describe them as “digeste” (roughly, digestible), and it’s an excellent characterization.

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Rich, Balanced Everyday Rhône Red. $25

It’s been a while (too long!) since we imported from the Domaine les Goubert – their bottling schedule and our importing schedule hasn’t seemed to sync up recently. But we finally restocked a few months ago and are delighted to have them back. Their delicious, reliable, extremely well-priced southern Rhône cuvées have been customer favorites for the last few decades, and in recent years they’ve only gotten better.

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White Burgundy’s Best-Kept Secret

The test of great winemakers is how they perform in the face of adversity. In sunny, dry vintages like 2023, just about everyone made tasty wine. But success in a challenging year speaks far more; and there’s rarely been a more difficult vintage than 2024. Some winemakers struggled, but others excelled; and Gautier Desvignes proved himself an exceptional talent.

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The Loire’s Answer to the Sea

Hailing from the western end of the Loire, just before it flows into the Atlantic, Muscadet is France’s go-to wine for oysters. Walk up to a seafood counter in St. Malo or Cancale to slurp a dozen, and you’ll likely be invited to wash them down with a pitcher of Muscadet. Simple, saline and refreshing, it’s a delicious pairing of like with like, and when you finish it can be hard not to queue up for another six oysters or so.

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Just Arrived: Chassagne Polish at a Mâconnais Price

Not everyone has the budget to fill their cellar with Puligny-Montrachet and other stars of the Côte d’Or. Luckily, the wines of the Maconnais have never been better, or offered more value. Thirty years ago Pouilly-Fuissé brought to mind an over-oaked, over-priced buttery Chardonnay; today the best examples can fool seasoned tasters into guessing Chassagne, and cost half as much.

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